Shanghai, ChinaTransrapid train emerges
from stylish station in Shanghai.

Construction began in April 2001 of the first commercial Transrapid
system. Despite the fact that the maglev was the first revenue-producing
point-to-point high-speed maglev in the world, the system was
up and running by 2004. The 30-km line runs between Pudong Shanghai
International Airport and the Shanghai Lujiazui financial district.
An end-to-end ride takes about eight minutes. A world record
for commercial maglev systems was set on November 12, 2003. A
five-section train achieved the top speed of 501 km/h (311 mph)
while another vehicle passed at 430 km/h on the adjacent track.
The Transrapid in Shanghai has a design speed of over 500 km/h
(310 mph) and a regular service speed of 430 km/h (267 mph).
Shanghai Maglev is the fastest railway system in commercial operation
in the world. Other maglev lines are under consideration in China.